Craig Balsdon holds his Stork Award, which he received from Maine EMS for his participation in the successful delivery of a baby boy in February. Balsdon, a dispatcher with the Lincoln County Communications Center, guided the new parents — who were en route to the hospital when it became clear their baby was well on the way — through the delivery and subsequent steps to keep both mother and baby safe while they waited for the ambulance to arrive. (Courtesy photo)
Richard Hasch holds his Phoenix Award, which he was given by Maine EMS on Tuesday, June 3. Hasch, a dispatcher with the Lincoln County Communications Center, participated in the successful resuscitation of a person who had suffered a cardiac arrest by guiding a caller through the steps of CPR. Learning more about the outcome of a call is not an everyday opportunity for dispatchers, so this award is a particularly special sign of a job well done, said Communications Director Tara Doe. (Courtesy photo)
Every day at the Lincoln County Communications Center, dispatchers are hard at work answering calls and handling emergencies. Often, the conversations they have on the line change lives forever, as dispatchers Craig Balsdon, of Boothbay Harbor, and Richard Hasch, of Southport, know well.
On Tuesday, June 3, Lincoln County Communications Director Tara Doe presented the two dispatchers with prestigious awards from Maine EMS, the state agency that oversees emergency medical services.
For his role in the successful delivery of a newborn baby, Balsdon received the Stork Award. Hasch received the Phoenix Award for his role in the successful resuscitation of a patient following a cardiac arrest.
Two expectant parents placed a call to the communications center at about 3 a.m. one night in February, already on their way to the hospital when they realized their newborn was well on the way, Balsdon said.
Before the call, Balsdon was wrapping up a night shift, not expecting much excitement before leaving the communications center around 5 a.m. later that morning. Instead, he picked up the phone and guided the new parents through a moment they will never forget.
“I told them to pull over, because the baby was coming,” Balsdon said. “I just went right into my instructions.”
Balsdon said the delivery was relatively smooth. He was able to provide the parents with information about caring for the mother and new baby until an ambulance could arrive to transport the family to the hospital.
“It just reminds us why we do what we do,” Doe said.
Hasch said his call seemed, to him, more routine. Calls to Lincoln County Communications about cardiac events are, unfortunately, more common, he said, so Hasch is used to guiding callers through the steps of CPR.
Typically, dispatchers don’t get to find out more about the calls they participate in after hanging up the phone, Doe said. However, Hasch did get closure about one call when he received the Phoenix Award on June 3. The award is bestowed by Maine EMS on responders who participate in the successful resuscitation of a patient who later returns to life with no neurological damage.
This meant the patient was able to leave the hospital of their own accord, Doe said.
“This was a true cardiac lifesaving save,” she said.
While Hasch, who also works nights, may not remember the details of the particular call that earned him the award, this in itself is a testament to the amount of impactful interactions each dispatcher has on a regular basis, Doe said. By being prepared to instruct callers in CPR, these professionals are spreading important knowledge – and helping callers be more prepared if they ever find themselves in a similar situation again, she said.
“We are changing lives every single day,” Doe said.
